Artaria

Artaria String Quartet

As ever, we were very pleased to host Artaria here at the Commonweal again in 2017. Their selections—from Beethoven & Tchiakovsky to Mozart & Schubert—were exciting, stirring and beautifully executed—as always! This year, due to our rep schedule, Artaria performed once in the theatre auditorium, and once in their usual place in the Events Hall. Dozens of attendees offered standing ovations after both performances. Their Stringwood students also performed and demonstrated skill, dedication and promise for the future of string instrument chamber music—and for the arts in Southeastern Minnesota.

These were the 2017 Commonweal concert dates & deets:

Wednesday, June 14th, 7:30 p.m.Titled Souvenir de Florence, this evening’s concert featured the music of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky. The quartet was pleased to welcome guest artists Roberto Diaz on the viola and Andres Diaz on the cello for this concert.

Wednesday, June 21st, 7:30 p.m.Entitled Death & The Maiden, this concert featured two mature chamber works in the minor mode: Schubert’s remarkable quartet Death & the Maiden and Mozart’s brilliant String Quintet in G Minor. For this concert, Artaria was joined by renowned violin/violist Geoff Nuttall of the St Lawrence String Quartet.

Rob Hubbard of the St. Paul Pioneer Press describes the Artaria String Quartet as an “exceptional ensemble with impressive confidence in its interpretations” and “Minnesota’s foremost teaching and performing string quartet”. Winners of the 2004 McKnight Fellowship for Performing Musicians, and named 2013-14 Minnesota Public Radio Artists-in-Residence, Artaria was also featured on Twin Cities Public Television as part of the “Minnesota Originals” series.

Artaria’s refined and thoughtful playing has brought them to major venues throughout the United States and Europe, on national television and public radio stations, and at top summer festivals including the Banff Centre in Canada, Festival de L’Epau in France, and the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, MA.

Artaria has earned numerous awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, Chamber Music America, and the Minnesota State Arts Board for excellence in performance and educational outreach. Directors of the Artaria Chamber Music School, a premiere weekly string chamber music program in Saint Paul; and Stringwood Chamber Music Festival, featuring the ASQ and renowned guest artists every June in Lanesboro, MN; they are founders of the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition, which showcases the nation’s top high school age string quartets each April.

Artaria is now in its 17th year as resident quartet at Stringwood Summer Chamber Music School and Festival in Lanesboro, MN.